A Girl and 26 Men
by VesperLogan12
Summary: The end of the short story, 26 Men and a Girl, by Maxim Gorky, in the view point of Tanya. "They started jeering viciously at me, snarling and whistling. I stood rooted to the spot. What had got into them? I had acted as though I was happy to see them every morning, and this is what I got in return?"


**A/N: Just something I wrote in Enlish that I was reasonably proud about. Please let me know what you think!**

How could I be so lucky? A handsome, rich soldier falling in love with me; a plain, ordinary, looking girl who did the cleaning and tidying in a sewing mill. It was a miracle! I suppose those men in the kitchens idolised me, but they were fools. All I went for was the pretzels, whereas that soldier was the nicest person I'd ever met and he'd chosen me, not Lida, not Grushka. Me!

I could remember the first time I had seen him. The other girls had gone all silly and had been standing on the benches to have a glimpse of him out of the window. I hadn't bothered. They were always silly over any man that came anywhere near. Yet, this man had come into our room, tall, healthy looking and twiddling his magnificent moustache. He had sat down and immediately all the girls had crowded round him, smiling sweetly and fiddling with their hair as they spoke to him. He had flirted with them all, calling them funny nicknames and teasing them. I had sat at the back, feeling very out of place, chewing my worn down fingernails. I had thought he was a fool, a flirtatious fool.

He had come often until, eventually, our boss had told him he wasn't to see us anymore. The other girls had been heartbroken until he had said they could meet elsewhere without the boss' knowing, so that's what we did. Two evenings a week we would all slip down to the cellar to see him. I would only go because everyone else did, but gradually I had grown to like him, his boyish grin, his sense of humour and his tendency to make every girl feel special.

That was where I was heading then. He had asked for us to meet up. He'd said that he wanted to talk to me. Of course I'd agreed!

The ground was muddy and full of puddles for it was still raining, yet I didn't care. I was too happy. I skipped down to the cellar, anxious to get there on time. I couldn't keep my love waiting!

Luckily for me, he wasn't there so I sat on a barrel and arranged my skirts so they fell around my ankles prettily.

"Tanya? Tanya, my dear?" came his voice from the steps. Immediately I jumped up, forgetting I had arranged my skirts so nicely, in my haste to see his handsome face again.

"Tom! I thought you were not going to turn up!" I cried as he strode through the doorway.

"Why would I do that?" You mean the world to me, darling." He took me up in his arms and gave me a little peck on my nose. I giggled.

"What did you want me for?" I asked, gazing into his brilliant blue eyes.

"I want you, my sweet, to run away with me from here. I want us to get married and live in my home in the countryside."

"Oh, my dear Tom, you really want that? You'll take me away from here so I don't have to put up with those dirty convicts in the basement idolising me so I can get enough food? You really mean it?" My heart leaped with joy. My day was getting better and better.

"Of course I mean it. I want you to pack what you need and meet me down here as soon as possible. We'll leave tonight."

"What about telling the boss?"

"We won't. He'll stop you, and anyway, adventure is so much more exciting." His eyes were twinkling with mischief; I couldn't help but grin back, then I hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, Tom! Thank you so much!" Gently he pulled me away and kissed me on the cheek.

"Come now, we don't have long. Remember, don't mention it to anyone." He started up the stairs before me. He knew he couldn't be seen with me.

"I won't!" I called happily as I went to follow him back up the steps.

When I was sure he was gone, I ran the rest of the way up the stairs, only slowing to a walk when I got up the top. I wandered slowly across the yard, not even feeling the rain that was still falling from the sunless sky for I was still lost in a daze.

Suddenly I heard a door being flung open and a rush of footsteps. I looked up, startled. It was the buffoons from the basement. They must have seen me with the soldier. They had been funny about him when I had been to see them earlier that day. I hadn't thought anything of it then.

They started jeering viciously at me, snarling and whistling. I stood rooted to the spot. What had got into them? I had acted as though I was happy to see them every morning, and this is what I got in return? They circled me, hurling their insults at me. They got worse and worse, swearing shockingly at me and slowly closing in. I couldn't get out! I turned this was way and that, looking for an escape route. There was none.

One of them got close and tugged savagely on my sleeve. My anger snapped. They were jealous. Jealous because I had found someone else. Someone they didn't approve of. Yet, it was none of their business.

I pulled my plait round my shoulder and held my head up haughtily, trying to ignore the rain that was battering down on me.

"Ah, you miserable little convicts!" I said straight into their faces and then I walked straight through them. Before I got to the door, I stopped. "You pigs… You brutes!" I shouted and walked calmly away, leaving them standing there in the pouring rain, gawking at me, stunned. I never saw them again.


End file.
